


If We Were a Movie, You’d Be My Sequel

by Asxn



Category: My life (sims 2 series), The Sims (Video Games), crystalfirexx, my life (nataliefirexx), my life - Fandom, nataliefirexx
Genre: Break Up, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Growth, Healing, M/M, Multi, Seasons, Sims 2, The Sims 2, Weather, draddie - Freeform, friends - Freeform, my life, relationship, time skip, ts2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-24 05:37:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20902496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asxn/pseuds/Asxn
Summary: Drake turns up at Maddie’s house to seek support after his relationship with Ariel is officially announced as over. A night the two wouldn’t realise would bring them closer than they ever expected.Originally conceptualised as a crack fic but now I love the pairing so we’re going all in kiddos. Fic takes place after episode 12.5 of My Life. Most likely any canon that takes place past 12.5 won’t be included in fic unless I say so. As result, siide characters plot lines will be changed whilst still roughly inspired by canon.





	1. Scene One

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to Nat and the the plumbob planet discord. May I continue to annoy you in new and creative ways. One day you will ship Draddie. I promise.

It was a Saturday evening when Drake White invited himself over. His face flushed and hat tilted as he held the chest of his shirt in his grip.

Maddie sat silently, fixing the way her jumper fit as she waited for Drake to explain why he was at her house at such an ungodly hour of the night. 

The brunette couldn't look at her, he could barely speak. His face red and perhaps Maddie was seeing things, things she never wanted to see, things only her own sleeplessness could create. But perhaps, if what she saw was real, Drake had been crying.

"Drake?" She finally began, acknowledging their silence that wasn't going anywhere if she let them continue.

"She broke up with me."

Maddie stopped everything momentarily. Her breathing, her thoughts and what for a moment felt like her heartbeat. "Ariel-"

Drake began before Maddie could continue "We're over, no drills, no jokes, no possibly getting back together" his eyes met Maddies and his lip quivered. He was in pain and it was obvious how much he was trying to hold it back. "I'm sorry for forcing myself in like this"

"No, its okay!" Maddie finally regained her thoughts, making her way over to kneel to Drake's eye level. His focus down on his hands that nervously played with the string of his sweatpants.

Maddie sighed, brushing Drakes bangs from his forehead to reveal light freckles that decorated his skin, more prominent than ever with the flush from his tears.

Drake sniffed "I don't know if I can be home tonight, y'know, with Ari-" he paused, the mere mention of the name made him shake and remember how real it all was. "With her being home…" 

Maddie shook her head softly "you don't have to explain yourself. Our couch is free to use, I'm sure mom and dad would be more than understanding."

She leaned forward to take a closer look at Drake, though his eyes made more distance between them and his chin dimpled as a tear made its way down his cheek.

"More importantly," she continued, leading his vision back to her with a hand on his cheek, "will you be alright?"

Drake let out a chuckle, though soft between his now falling tears "no."

Maddie frowned "no?"

"Without her I'd rather be gone, I'm finished!" Drake yelled, Maddie hushed him from waking her parents and grabbed his mouth with her hands. He continued, voice muffled, "I might as well be dead. Maddie I should just end my life here and now."

"Not in here you're not" Maddie pulled her hand from his face "mom would be _ so _ pissed off if she had to deal with one more dead body on our property."

Drake stared at her, blinking a few times. His tears seemed to have stopped and he let out a soft chuckle. "It's so fucked that you can say that so casually"

Maddie punched him in the arm and he winced, rubbing at it. "Shut up. Its fucked that I'm even your friend after all we've been through, asshole." She rolled her eyes.

Drake laughed harder "after everything I've done to you, I'm surprised you don't hit me more often."

"Because unlike you I'm not an asshole. I'm not going to keep hurting you for doing something you were taught was okay. That was your dad's fault, not yours."

Drake huffed in response.

"What?" Maddie frowned.

"If I were you, I'd leave me to rot."

Maddie stood back up from the floor, pushing Drake's hat down by its brim to cover his face "and if I was you I'd shut up before the nice girl willing to give me a place to stay the night decides to change her mind."

Readjusting his snapback as Maddie left the room, Drake sniffed "yes ma'am." 

He looked around the living room, unable to recall the last time he'd been at Maddie's home. With everyone going to school and being so busy, he'd only had time to be with Ariel. 

He sighed, "shit" now hunched forward into his legs and pressing his palms into his eyes, he tried to remind himself to get it together. The spiral of thoughts and memories flooding back in and his sulk grew from a soft and restrained sob to a loud moan.

Maddie walked back in with the blankets in her hands. The sight of the man she watched grow so much over the years now in shambles on her living room couch broke her heart.

She wasn't so sure how anything could have happened between Drake and Ariel, from what she'd seen they were inseparable and only growing closer with every day.

She sighed and Drake looked back up at her. He wiped at the snot now dripping over his mouth.

Perhaps, she reminded herself of her own relationships in the past, that not everything is the same inside as it likes to present on the outside. That maybe all this time Ariel was one wrong move away from breaking it with Drake.

It really was such a shame, Maddie thought they were perfect for each other, the yin and yang to balance the other out but sometimes there was such a thing as being too different.

Maddie handed the blankets to Drake "will you be okay?"

He wiped his sleeve over his face "I think I'll be fine after crying it out for a while"

"Don't cry all night." Maddie cooed softly.

"When I said 'a while' I meant maybe a few months to years." Drake unfolded the blanket.

Maddie rolled her eyes and Drake furrowed his brows back at her, he knew the eye roll all too well. Maddie crossed her arms "okay, but if you need anything I'll be in my room. Please, at least, try to get some rest."

Drake nodded silently tucking himself into the couch. "Thanks Maddie."

"Good night Drake."


	2. It’s Your Arms That I Need This Time

"Good morning."

Perhaps it was a change of lighting, the morning sun peeked through the window and illuminated her skin, strands of her hair lit up golden and fell softly over her shoulder.

Somewhere between watching old youtube videos and reminiscing about their past, Maddie's voice had softened until she stopped replying altogether. Her head rest on his shoulder, yawns turned to soft breathing as she fell asleep resting against him. 

Her expression softened and for a moment, Drake let himself watch her in their joined peace. He'd never allowed himself the thought of how long her eyelashes were, or how her nose scrunched up when he told a joke or how her eyes sparkled when she explained the plot to a story she was writing.

But for that moment, he allowed himself the indulgence of admiring her in her silence. He watched her chest rise and fall as he brushed her hair away from her face.

"Maddie, are you sleeping?" He asked, leaning closer to hear her mumbled response. The sound giving him no answer but a knot in her brow as she pushed her face closer to him and she slipped toward his chest.

Drake caught her from her fall, encouraging her to lay back in her bed, her hand embracing his arm as he tried to pull away. "Stay" she mumbled, lashes flickering against her cheeks, barely able to open her sleepy eyelids.

Drake sighed, about to crack a joke but his nerves got the better of him and she intertwined her fingers between his, pulling his hand closer to her chest. "I miss you" she said under her breath, a tone so heartbreaking Drake felt like he would melt right there. 

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to lay there with her, even for a moment until she let go. But once he'd done so he remembered how much he hated sleeping alone and how much he missed the warmth of another body by his side.

He wondered who Maddie thought he was and what she meant when she said she missed him. But he felt it too for he had his own person to miss and he missed her a lot at times.

But with Maddie here by his side and with her support and their growing friendship, he missed Ariel less than he would if he were healing alone.

Maddie leaned into Drakes chest, a whimper from her made him jump. He wondered how often she hurt like this, if she always cried in her sleep.

He hushed, resting his head atop hers and petting her hair down to her back to comfort her. 

He was terrible at being supportive, he never knew what to do when someone was sad around him so he was thankful that she was sleeping. It helped clear the awkward feeling in his chest and the stiffness in his hold.

It allowed them to stay in that silence as he listened to her quiet sobs and felt the softness of hair against his finger tips.

That same soft hair that shone golden before him the next morning and her eyes, so bright despite her tears the night before, looking up at him from his chest as she sung a good morning.

Her body still so close to his and in his daze he moaned a half tangible "morning", rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Maddie laughed softly at how his hat had fallen to the side and she began to play with his hair that was now exposed.

Drake frowned as Maddie messily styled his bangs "You and Ryan really are so different" she brushed his bangs in a swoop, attempting to recreate his brothers hair.

Despite their similarities, it didn't suit him.

"We literally look exactly the same, you probably couldn't tell the difference between us if we never spoke" he looked away, her face was so close and his cheeks were beginning to flush.

Maddie shook her head softly. "No, you both look so different, I think I could tell the difference." She slowly brushed his hair back into place "You really are your own person now. I think that's a good thing."

Drake's eyes joined back to meet Maddie's, the smile on her face genuine and her lashes fluttered in her soft giggles.

He sighed, allowing himself to smile back at her "you really have no idea how much it means for me to hear you say that."


	3. With You, Fall Feels Like Spring

  
  


The rain poured heavy that autumn afternoon where not too much earlier when the sun was still out, Drake has scraped his knee running a little too fast down the paved hill and how afterward Maddie bought him an ice cream as was owed after losing to him at a game of mortal kombat.   
  
“I told Ryan you’d be into video games… not that you're any good at them” Drake’s laugh grew into a splutter of coughs, catching his ice cream from falling as Maddie nudged him.    
  
“Too bad you can't translate the same coordination you have for playing video games to being able to walk in real life without hurting yourself.” She offered to take a look at the scrape on Drake's knee.

Making their way to the park bench covered in yellowed leaves, Drake rolled up the leg of his pants with his free hand and gawked loudly at the gnarly scrape on his leg. “Wow Ryan’s gunshot wounds have nothing on me.”   
  
Maddie rolled her eyes “Oh sure, I’m certain that scrape will leave a  _ nasty  _ scar and then you’ll attract all the ladies.”   
  


“You bet.” Drake smiled, taking a dramatic lick of his ice cream.

A chill ran across Maddie’s skin, leaving her with goosebumps and the sky grew grey. Drake paused midway through licking his ice cream as a single droplet of rain hit his arm lightly. Maddie watched him, uncomfortably so as she waited for him to swallow, which he didn’t.   
  
“Don’t be disgusting” Maddie said.

  
  
Drake blinked back to reality and raised an eyebrow at Maddie, leaning closer with a dollop of ice cream still atop his tongue that stuck out at her. “I thought you liked seafood.”   


  
“What are you talking about? I hate fish!”

  
Drake put away his tongue to swallow and Maddie shivered “I don’t know why you’d even want ice cream in this weather.”

“Because with you, fall feels like spring.” He smirked. Maddie’s brows furrowed lower than before and he laughed loudly at the lack of amusement in her expression. 

His laugh stopped abruptly as another few droplets of rain made contact with his skin and Maddie looked up at the sky, squinting an eye after a droplet landed on her face. “We should get inside.”   
  
“And what if I don't want to?” Drake taunted

“Then catch a cold, it's not my problem. I don’t care if you get sick.” She stood back up, fixing her shirt against her waist.

  
Drake reached out, wrapping his fingers around Maddie’s arm “Oh but it is your problem. I can't let myself get sick unless you get sick with me.”   
  
“Drake, dont be stupid” Maddie pulled at her arm along with Drake who was attatched to her, making him drop his ice cream and yell.   
  
“Damn, what the fuck Maddie! My ice cream!”

She rolled her eyes "Serves you right, you were being disgusted with it anyway." 

Drake pulled Maddie’s hand closer to his embrace, his fingers slipping under droplets of rain “That's it!” He jumped up from his seat, beginning to tickle her as she squirmed with laughter. “Now you really deserve to get sick.”

  
Maddie pushed at Drake’s chest but nowhere near as forceful as Drake knew she could if she wanted to. Her giggling sang like a symphony in his ears as rain poured heavier. 

Drake could feel his clothes grow heavy on his skin, beginning to soak through and attach to him. Maddie’s laughter was contagious, her smile bright and he couldn't help but laugh too. 

Maddie began to beg and plead his name until she yelled a final “Stop!” to which he obeyed, letting go of her with his hands up. His wet hair sticking to his face. Maddie let out a final breath then instantly tackled him, pressing the tips of her fingers into his sides, causing him to squirm and trip over his shoes, the soles of his sneakers sliding in the wet dirt beneath them.   
  
Drake grabbed Maddie’s arm for balance, only for him to bring her down to the ground with him.

He yelped loudly when his back hit the ground, mud squelching under him. The sound of his voice attracting Maddie’s attention and her face expressed worry from where she lay atop him. She brushed her damp hair behind her ear and sighed with a soft smile when Drake spluttered and began to laugh again, wrapping his arms around Maddie and pulling her close into his chest.

"You smell terrible." her voice muffled into his shirt.

"You smell worse," he pressed his face into her hair, she really did feel like spring "If I have to suffer then so do you."

Droplets fell onto his face and despite the chill in the air, their bodies lying there in the middle of the grass maintained their heat while his chest felt warm and the smell of her shampoo made his cheeks grow hot.

Maddie pulled away from his embrace, her eyes scanning him before laughing "You look like a drowned rat." Her blue eyes glimmering like sapphires and her breath visible in the air.

Drake stared at her for maybe a little too long, something he'd found himself doing a lot lately. Her eyes were truly something else and the way she looked at him, even when she was drenched was still as pretty as ever.

She hummed questioningly, noticing his eyes looking over her face. She shrugged her head into her shoulders and looked away "oh god is my hair that bad?"

Drake shook his head quickly "no… you look really pretty." Perhaps it was a slip up of words, he could have said anything else, really, but that's what he thought in the moment and it was a truth that he wanted to share. Maddie was pretty,  _ really pretty _ .

Maddie looked back at him, her eyes more focused on his and he swore if she touched his face, he’d burn her. Maddie quickly sat up, brushing her fingers through the ends of her hair, avoiding to look at him any longer. "We should go inside" the rain continued to pour heavy over them.   
  
Drake squinted, covering his face with his hands to see without droplets of water blinding him. "You're right, even in good weather hanging out in the open in Riverblossom Hills is basically asking to get raped or shot. I’d hate to know what happens on a bad day."

Maddie snapped back at him "Don't say weird shit like that." Water dripped from her hair onto her foundation and her eyes pierced Drake.

"I was joking" he shrugged.

"Well, it's not funny…" Maddie stood up and spun around, the water from her hair whipping his face as she began to walk away.

Drake scurried in the spot, the grass under him turning into mud as he quickly got up to run after her "Maddie, come on. I didn't think you’d take it so seriously." He shook the mud off of elbows.

Maddie continued to walk silently, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Maddie." He stopped in his tracks, blowing the rain from his lips "... I didn’t mean it like that, Jesus…” he frowned “You'd be okay if Ryan said it."

Maddie turned around, her mascara smudged lighty under her eyes "no I wouldnt, what the fuck Drake. Get over yourself, it's not about you or Ryan for that matter."

"Well, I wasn’t wrong! This town is shitty as fuck."

Maddie stood there. "And you think I don’t already know that? Maybe I’d like to go one day without being reminded that something bad could happen to me at any moment?”   
  
Drake stood there now really feeling like a drowned rat as the rain distorted his vision.   
  
“When that whole Zack thing…” She looked up and blinked a few times then away from Drake, “When  _ it  _ happened…”   
  


Maddie stood in a brief silence, her hand rubbing against her upper arm as she tried to reconnect her thoughts.   
  
“You don’t have to say anything Maddie, I’m sorry”   
  
“No…” her voice was soft, “when it happened, it was on a day like this when me and Ryan were together and I really thought…” She struggled, her words slowing “I really didn't think anything bad would happen but.. It still… did…” She looked up at Drake. “Every day I’m always so scared something could happen to me or my family or you guys. I like it better when we’re all together and I have everyone there to distract me from that thought. So being reminded of that…” 

Maddie’s breath was irregular and Drake held his arms out, making his way closer to Maddie. “I’m sorry I didn’t think about it like that.”   
  
Maddie avoided his eyes, “no, I’m sorry for being so sensitive.”   
  
Drake pulled Maddie into his arms, caressing her wet hair and protecting her face from the rain. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”   
  
Maddie sniffed, bringing her face back up to look at Drake, her eyes reddened from holding back her tears “at least everything that's happened has made me a strong bitch.” She attempted to joke.   
  
Drake laughed, more apologetically than jokingly, playing with the wet hair in front of Maddie’s face, “You’re only strong because you have man hands.”   
  
Maddie’s lip pouted, poking her finger into Drakes cheek “Watch it Drake, these hands have killed a man and I can do it again.”   
  
Drake frowned “so you’re allowed to joke about murder but I can’t?”   
  
“Drake, you lost your rights when you kissed me while pretending to be Ryan.”

“Would I get my rights back if the next time I kissed you it would be as Drake?”

Maddie paused then dead panned him, her hand went from a point to a light pat of his cheek “You wish.” she parted from his hold to walk away.   
  
Drake stood still holding his cheek, slipping and catching himself to run after the blonde “A boy can dream!”

  
  


The next evening Drake called to say he couldn’t make it to Maddie’s house after falling ill with a suspicious cold.


	4. Thinking of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is where I decided I actually cared about this ship so chapters will probably be longer from here onward.

To get a call from drake at such a time wasn't too far out of her ordinary lately. In fact, a call from him at this hour happened more often than not.

Maddie never thought too much about how close they've become and her friendship with him before. 

Often times over the years, she found it hard to communicate with him without being reminded of what they had or, for a different take, didn't have together in middle school.

She knew he had changed since that time and she didn't hate him for it, she began to love the personality he let show through. It helped smooth out his rough edges and help the roughness left behind stand out as something better than worse.

But there was always something between them that she couldn't explain. When he talked, she couldn't help but glance at his lips, and his hands when he made his bold gestures. 

She couldn't help remembering a time where those same lips kissed hers and those hands that searched her body in a way she'd never experienced before then.

For despite not knowing him as Drake at that time, there was something so different about him compared to Ryan that caught her off guard, that same something that made her question who he really was.

It was something that stuck with her, intrigued her and perhaps confused her. Something that she didn't want to acknowledge in her teens but couldn't ignore when her face flushed at the sight of him which made her almost mad, forcing a joke or two at his expense, pushing at his chest and reminding him of the dork he was.

Obviously, she thought, it was just a passing thought, something intrusive that all people experience from time to time. Rather, her reliving a memory than experiencing any real feelings that she should take seriously.

She _ was _ dating his brother at the time. It wasn't like she was _ attracted _ to him, at least not completely.

But all that changed after the night he slept on her couch, the night he cried. When their free time was taken up by the other, when he made her watch terrible anime and she made him listen to her read her english assignment over and over with every minor detail she changed.

When he told her about his childhood and his fear of being alone again, his wish to live freely and his dreams of family.

Drake was sweet, his heart was soft and he had fears that he locked behind a persona he wanted the world to see.

And somehow, Maddie had unlocked that other side of him.

The Drake she knew now would never intentionally hurt someone or do wrong, but he always expressed the fear that he would and that who his family was would have influenced that. Maddie would shake her head and remind him he is good, that he was too smart to do wrong.

  


The phone continued to ring to which she answered, Drake's voice almost too nonchalant. "So... I'm kind of in jail."

Maddie blinked, processing the words she just heard. "You're what?"

"it's nothing serious, I just need someone to come in and sign some papers. Then I'll be out, no big deal."

"I'm sorry," Maddie took back everything nice she ever thought about Drake. Either he was arrested for being bad or arrested for being dumb, dumb being the more suitable option. "What the hell did you do?"

"Nothing, I just walked out of the shop and forgot to pay but they ganged up on me before I could explain. Look, Ryan's out of town and like hell I'm letting the oldies bail me out, I'd never hear the end of it."

In fact, not only was Drake dumb, he was a certified idiot and deserved an award for his achievements, "Why didn't you pay?"

Silence on the other side, just for a moment and then "look, I was" he whispered, but loud enough to where he might as well be shouting _ "really _ high." She could imagine his hand covering his mouth.

"Drake!"

"I just forgot! Man, that place had cops everywhere and like hell they were gonna believe a dude that smelled like weed."

Maddie held the phone between her shoulder and chin, searching her closet for a suitable jacket. A glance outside to note the grey sky "Drake you're such a fucking idiot."

"Duh, so are you coming or?"

"I swear" she pulled her arms through one sleeve "if this is over something stupid like you stealing a bag of cookies or some shit, you realise I will never shut up about this. Give me a sec, I'm on my way"

"Please Maddie, this officer wants to kill me, he keeps giving me this look. I swear, you're taking so long, I've been talking to you for hours please come already."

Maddie pulled the phone back up to her ear "Drake are you still high?"

"Dude, this shits intense."

Maddie rolled her eyes "I can't fucking believe this. Hold on."

  


The phone line cut, not even a goodbye, damn.

Drake sat back down, giving the officer a squint as he bounced his leg restlessly. Popping his head up to the side to seek out the blonde hair of a girl that was the gateway to his freedom.

And oh god was he high, the way the room span around him and faces blurred made him sick. The way his lids were so heavy that he could barely keep his eyes open.

Drake leaned forward in his seat to hold his eyes shut in his hands. Maybe edibles were a bad idea. Maybe taking edibles from _ Wes _ of all people, was a bad idea.

He opened his eyes and his shoes were so far from his reach, the pattern on his laces made him choke. He closed his eyes again, counting the seconds until he forgot he was counting.

"Hey kid" an officer's hand rest on his shoulder. "Your girl's here for you."

Drake rubbed at his eyes as he stood up beside the officer, letting himself be led forward by the officer's touch. The photos on the walls looked like they were movies so Drake kept his focus on his toes and counting the nails in the floorboards until they reached a halt.

  


The office door before him opened to a room that smelled like lavender air freshener, but the cheap musky kind he'd rather not breathe.

Instantly, he noticed strands of blonde hair as they were brushed behind an ear, and revealing herself from behind that hair was Maddie's face focused down at a document on the desk in front of her. She looked tired, the way her lashes softly shaded her eyes and her face flushed from the cold outside.

"Your boyfriends here" the officer's voice faded in and out of Drake's focus.

Maddie looked up at him and instantly, Drake knew he was in trouble. His heart pounded from his chest to his neck as a wave of shivers fell down his spine.

Maddie just sat there in silence, though that silence alone was telling enough. Her eyes watched Drake as he made his way toward the seat next to her and then she turned back to the papers to sign the page.

Drake slumped his body into the chair, forcing his fists into the pockets of his hoodie. His eyes focused on Maddie's hands as they gave the papers back to the officer and only three of her fingers had been polished.

The officer leaned back in his chair, looking back over to Drake with a lift brow then to Maddie. "You need to keep that boy of yours under better control, miss…" he glanced back at the paper "Andrews."

"Yes sir."

"He could get into serious trouble." He turned to Drake "you hear that young man?"

Drake squinted at the officer then sniffed. Maddie nudged his arm, "yes sir" Drake blinked, straightening his body up in his seat.

Maddie sighed "Sir, Drake wouldn't intentionally steal… look at him." Drake blinked at her, his eyes tinted red "he's obviously not in the best shape right now. I'm sure you can make an exception."

The officer leaned into his desk to pull out his documents "I'm sorry ma'am, but it's not exactly easy to make an exception when what he stole was worth hundreds."

"_ Hundreds _?"

The officer slid the documents toward Maddie, pointing at a line of text highlighted in yellow. Maddie darted her eyes through the words then slammed her hand on the table as she turned to Drake.

"What the hell were you doing stealing from Tiffany and Co!?"

Drake frowned, then he sunk into his seat as his expression softened before he looked away. He let out a mumble that no one could decipher as he dug under his nails from within the pocket of his hoodie.

Maddie mimicked his mumble sarcastically then pushed further "How the hell do you just _ forget _ to pay for a Tiffany and Co necklace, half of their items are locked behind glass! What the hell were you doing in there?"

"It was on display."

"So you stole it?"

"I told you, I forgot!"

"How do you just _ forget!? _"

Drake frowned again "I forgot to bring my wallet with me so I walked out to go get it but I was an idiot and forgot that I can't just bring things with me outside of a shop. Then suddenly everyone was over me! Jesus, talk about a bad trip. You try explaining shit to a group of officers when the odds are against you and you're high as fuck."

Maddie closed her eyes, pressing her fingers at the bridge of her nose, trying to keep her voice low "how high were you?"

"Its from Wes' stash."

Maddie looked back at the officer apologetically, he nodded back to her like arguments in his office weren't too unusual. By the way he leaned back in his seat, Maddie felt like maybe he was enjoying the show a bit too much.

She turned back to Drake and pushed his arm "you're an idiot."

He jumped, "I already said that I am. Look, I get that you're obsessed with me but you need to stop copying me and think of an original insult." 

Maddie rolled her eyes "and you were really planning to buy that necklace?"

Drake lift one hand to his heart "Honestly and truly"

Maddie looked back at the officer "Sir, there must be something we can do. It was all a misunderstanding, he really was planning to pay."

Drake searched his pockets for his phone "I can prove I have the money, my bank has an app!"

The officer sighed, "okay, you know what? I like you, miss Andrews. I don't know what you see in this kid but if it really was a misunderstanding we might be able to smooth some things out, especially since the necklace was retrieved."

"Don't worry sir, I see nothing in him. He's the dumbest man in existence."

Drake let out a hurt "ow" clutching at his chest.

Maddie's lip quirked then she looked back at the officer. "But thank you so much, you're a life saver!"

"Now, hold on kid. It's not over as easy as that. I said I _ might _ be able to smooth things out. I'm still putting these papers through."

"The laws the law" Drake shrugged.

The officer placed all the documents back in his drawer "until then, I'm sure you're tired. The papers are all signed so you're free to leave."

Maddie nodded a thank you to the officer as the two headed out. Maddie held onto Drake's arm to guide him

"I'm not _ that _ fucked up, Maddie. That whole fiasco kind of ruined my high." Though he didn't fight her grip on his arm "I can make my own way out."

Maddie rolled her eyes and the way she huffed, Drake knew she wasn't going to take any of his shit tonight "I'm not risking it.”

Drake stretched his arms out and heaved his breath, giving Maddie a wide smile “great day to be a privileged white boy!”

Maddie grabbed his arm tighter as she ignored his statement “I can't believe you stole from a jewelry store! What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I wasn't, obviously."

"I know you're studying psych but I don't think getting arrested is what's going to help you relate to people" Maddie opened the front door as she continued to scold him, her boots crunching against the light coating of snow on the concrete, Drake feeling his own sneakers grow cold as snow melted through the mesh and a chill on his skin.

"Did you even have the money for that necklace? I can't fucking believe this, you know Ariel wont take you back because of some expensive gift, right?"

Drake pondered then stopped in his tracks, pulling Maddie back "it wasn't for Ariel."

Maddie turned, her eyes widened despite her tired gaze "what?"

The two stood in the parking lot, Drakes face turned away "I said I wasn't buying it for Ariel."

"For your grandma?"

Drake shook his head.

"Yourself?" Maddie smirked.

"Maddie, stop pushing. I was just planning to buy it, that's all."

Maddie came in closer, tilting her head to view Drake's "I don't mind if you want to wear jewellery. It's nice to know you want to spoil yourself-"

"It's not for myself." He turned his head even further.

Maddie straightened up and rolled her eyes "okay then, don't tell me. But it just makes you more suspicious. I mean, how the hell could you even afford that in the first place."

Drake turned his head back to her, his brow in a knot "I work"

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"Since when?"

"I don't know, stop prodding at me, it's hard to concentrate." Drake huffed as he began to walk forward, leading Maddie to her own car "I work at ungodly hours when I'm free from school, it's not much but it's something."

"And I didn't know?" Maddie walked faster to reach Drake's side.

"I push shopping carts at 7am, I wouldn't exactly say that's worth mentioning."

Maddie never considered that he was unavailable to talk before 10 because of work, she always assumed he was sleeping. In fact, she was impressed to find out he was ever up at such a time "It's a job, its something."

Drake looked back up at her "look, I just wanted to afford something nice for Christmas, okay?"

Maddie had forgotten all about the Christmas get together the old gang had planned out months ago, part of her wondered if it was still going to happen with how little everyone had seen each other lately.

"So it was a gift?"

Drake nodded.

Maddie sighed, searching through her pockets for her car keys. She had no more to say on the matter and by the way Drake held himself, he looked cold.

Entering the car, she turned on the heating, Drake looked about ready to pass out so she kept the radio off. his eyes zoned out on the road as he rested his chin in the palm of his hand.

Maddie thought it over "Drake, I just want to know who you thought, in our group, would wear a necklace?"

Drake shrugged.

"I'm serious, I mean Nicole might, but I think Kelsi would kill you if your gift was more expensive than hers…"

Drake's eyes scoped Maddie then back out his window. "Then its a Good thing it wasn't for Nicole _ or _ Kelsi."

Maddie stopped at the red light "... Drake?"

"Yes?"

"... don't tell me you were planning to give it to me?"

"Maybe I was."

Green. Maddie hit the gas "Drake!" She wanted to hit him "don't spend that sort of money on me, what the fuck!"

"I didn't care about the money, you know that."

"Of course not, you were stealing."

Drake propped back up "no, I mean, I just see things that remind me of people and don't think much other than that!."

"Why would it remind you of me."

"Because you lost the one Ryan gave you."

Maddie looked at Drake and couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Drake gave her a questioning glance "what?"

"I didn't lose that." She looked back at the road.

"I thought you said-"

"I threw it away."

Drake frowned at her. "Wow, you're a bitch."

"Yea, kind of."

"Then if you were just going to be throwing expensive gifts away, maybe it was best that I didn't get it for you after all." He huffed.

"I don't want an expensive gift, I don't even care about receiving gifts. Seriously Drake, think before you spend. Especially if it’s on me. I really don't deserve it."

"Fine" he leaned forward to turn on the radio "I won't!"

"Good"

"Great!" Drake crossed his arms, lowering his body into his seat. The bass of the music sounded like it could break her speakers, again.

Maddie sighed, turning the music down. "But in all seriousness, thank you for thinking about me, that's very sweet of you." She gave him a soft smile so he knew she meant it. “Though, I don’t think I’m worth getting arrested over”

Drake shuffled in his seat, the seatbelt pressing into his neck “... Thanks for bailing me out of jail."

"It's only fair, you are an idiot after all.”

"But I'm your idiot." Drake smirked 

Maddie brushed the hair from her face to the back of her scalp, shaking her head with a sigh as she’d scratched her fingers through her hair. She couldn't deny, by this point he really was _ her _ idiot.


	5. Merry Christmas Darling Pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This ones getting long so its being split into two parts.
> 
> if you want to get into the holiday spirit, imagine this as Maddie's christmas playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4eqiBgXJI7Dpm7p3z0MUaI?si=IBNNYEeAQRCwoFQn3UOLCg

  
  


Christmas arrived early that year. Friends long loved but dearly missed finally reunited between all that was the overwhelming schedule of life, to meet once again for the holidays.

Smooth jazz play from the tv, a custom playlist set up with songs from Michael Bublé and Ariana Grande to classical Christmas soundtracks and Destiny’s Child.   
  
Flickering Lights hung from the tree and Maddie made sure, with her mom’s help, for tinsel to decorate every surface in her home and to display the candles she'd been collecting throughout the year, more having scents than not.

Maddie maneuvered her body in front of the mirror, her curls bouncing with a new trim as she checked her jumper for loose dog hairs. Despite the chill, Coda had been shedding quite a lot lately, a thought quickly forgotten after hearing the ring of her doorbell.

Old friends greeted with smiles on their faces and the heat of the fireplace saving them from the chill outside as they removed their coats. Arms wrapped around necks, warm hands against cold and complements exchanged as they made their way into the overly decorated lounge of christmas sounds and sparkling lights.

Maddie held Nicole's hands after their embrace, Nicole's ring finger happily dressed up as per usual. Maddie complimented the glitter in Nicole's eye makeup while Kelsi kissed Nicole's cheek before taking her coat from her arms, her own pale finger catching light with a dazzling stone.

When Ariel arrived, she handed a gift with a golden ribbon to Maddie before making her way through the door. Her camera hanging from her neck, clean with not a sticker in sight.

Ariel's expression was soft, the light of the fire made her green eyes dazzle and with a short glance toward Maddie, she smiled back just the same, Noticing the way Ariel brushed her hair from her face. It was short, much shorter than Maddie had ever seen it.

"I needed a change," Ariel said, noticing Maddie's sapphire gaze as she folded her coat "it's less hassle."

"It suits you" Maddie said, and it did. Ariel's red hair framed her face in a way that, Maddie couldn't exactly tell you why or how, but it felt free, almost like Ariel had found herself after years of searching.

In fact, despite how long Maddie been growing her own hair, with the occasional trim, even she was starting to consider a more extravagant cut now that she’d seen Ariel's blunt ends brush against her jawline.

Ariel thanked Maddie, bouncing her bag of gifts over her shoulder on her way to greet the others.

Maddie closed the door lightly but was then stopped in her tracks as tanned fingers wrapped around the door. "Hold up," a familiar voice said and Maddie responded back with a squeak, instantly swinging the door open again.

Wes slid his hand from the door. "I hope were on the door list" he said, gazing back at the brunette who was still making his way toward the house.

Maddie looked down at her hand, another finger searching down the theoretical list in her palm "I'm expecting a Ryan, is your name Ryan?"

"What a coincidence, I'm Ryan's other half." Wes smiled.

Ryan laughed softly under his breath, he rolled his eyes as he made his way over.

"Sorry" Maddie's lip pouted "I can only let in a whole Ryan, not half of one."

"Don't worry, he's coming. He's just a little slow" Wes winked "if you catch my drift."

"Hey!" Ryan nudged Wes' arm once he'd caught up.

Maddie looked at Ryan and his bottom lip dropped, eyes staring back at hers.

Wes sighed, pointing a finger gun at the two as he entered the house "aight love birds, I know when I'm not wanted." 

Ryan gave a small wave to Wes, who nod back at him. “Why,” His voice boomed “Hello there ladies!” he looked around the room “What a cozy little place Maddie has here!” The girls sitting by the tree welcomed him and he kneeled down to greet Coda as he ran to Wes’ legs.  
  
Maddie let out a soft laugh, pulling at her sleeves as she gazed back to Ryan. The two thinking of what to say, waiting to see who would talk first. The breeze was cold, biting their skin even through the knit of their sweaters.

"Hey." Maddie pulled the door handle to mute the music from inside.

"Hey" Ryan's brown eyes gazed over her, from her eyes to the rouge of her cheeks, the curls in her hair and the golden studs in her ears.

Maddie leaned against the door frame, pondering where to take their conversation. By the way Ryan held himself, he seemed to feel the same. 

"You look different…" she paused, eyes briefly flickering to the markings on his neck "Like, a good different. You seem happy."

Ryan placed his hand over his neck, watching her gaze "You too."

Maddie scratched her arm, she wanted to say so much and yet, "I missed you." To put it short.

Ryan smiled, he couldn't help but let out a short chuckle. There truly was no reason for air to be so thick between them and it was time they cleared it, "you know you _ can _ call me whenever you want." He lifted a brow.

"Maybe you're right." Maddie laughed, brushing her curls behind her ear. "I guess I just didn't want to bother you."

"Maddie, You’re kind of my best friend. You'd never bother me. Besides," Ryan looked back through the window, toward the man wrestling with Maddie's dog, close enough to the fireplace where he could set flame. "If I'm able to put up with _ him _, honestly, I think I can put up with anything."

Maddie looked at Wes from over her shoulder then back to Ryan "What _ is _ that about, by the way?"

Ryan hummed questioningly, knowing well enough what _ that _ was about.

"I mean, yknow, Wes." Maddie folded her arms over once more "You know he talks about you a lot on snapchat."

"He has a snapchat?"

Maddie laughed, her fingers pressed against the gloss of her lips "Don't worry, he only posts photos of you sleeping."

"He does _ WHAT? _" Ryan's cheeks flushed. He passed by Maddie and stormed into the house. Maddie twirled around just in time to witness Ryan whack Wes on the arm. The sound made Nicole jump from her seat and cough on her drink, Kelsi patting her back.

Wes let go of the dog from where he sat on the floor, Coda scurrying off "Damn Ryan, where's that energy when I _ want _ it?"

Ryan groaned "I didn't know you used snapchat"

Wes squinted in confusion "I didn't think you wanted it… But if I must share, as it seems you want to _ abuse _ me over it, my account is SixtynineWe-"

"I don't want your account! I want to know why you post photos of me sleeping?"

Wes got up from where he sat, patting Ryan's cheek. A smug grin lay on his face. Ryan scrunched up his nose, refusing to make eye contact with a peep at Nicole and Kelsi who watched with open eyes. Ryan felt his ears heat up and he knew the warmth wasn’t from the fireplace.

"Cause you're just too cute not to, princess."

Ryan furrowed his brow, looking back at Wes with a huff. But oh god, he was soft for him, "I hate you." he hushed.

"Based on the way you sleep next to me, you and I both know that's a lie" Wes kissed Ryan's cheek, softly slapping his hand on the pink of his skin as he walked away, making himself more at home to raid the fridge.

Maddie noticed Kelsi lean over to whisper in Nicole's ear and the joined nod between the two. Then back to Ryan who crossed his arms to slump on the couch.

  


"So… Are we standing in the doorway for a reason, or-?" Drake's confused tone appeared from behind Maddie, waking her from her gaze.

"Drake!" She turned back to the entrance where he stood "come in." Her hands locked into his for a moment, breaking the brief connection to shut the door behind him.

Drake peered out to the room of old friends, bending into an excited squat the moment he saw Wes walk back in from the kitchen. "Wesipoo!"

Ariel rolled her eyes from where she sat next to Nicole, the two girls shook their heads at each other.

Wes popped the lid of a stubby with his car keys "Ah! My love! Yes, I have returned!" His arms opened wide.

Nicole rubbed her thumb across the lipstick stain on the rim of her drink "glad to know we matter too! It's not like we've known you longer or anything."

Drake spun on his heel, placing his gifts down by the tree "But Wesipoo’s name is just so exciting. How would I even say your name? Nicolapoo? Nipoo? Poocole? Poo poo pee pee?"

"Don't taint my name like that" Nicole held back a laugh.

"Peecole?"

"I’m sorry, I forget why we're friends." Nicole's lip curved, reuniting with her glass.

"Because everyone here is suspiciously forgiving."

Wes sat on the armrest of Ryan's chair, his free hand on the back behind the boys head and the other raising his beer "I second that, you're all genuinely crazy for accepting two.." he counts the heads in the room "maybe four criminals into your lives."

Ariel leaned back from where she sat on the floor, pulling up the high neck of her green sweater "I mean," she began "raise your hand if you aren't a criminal, wanted, haven't been held at gunpoint, arent on a hit list or already dead."

The room sat silent.

"My point made." She crossed her arms smugly.

Drake sighed, waving awkwardly toward Ariel who as response, let out a heavy breath from her nose. She began to clean the lense of her camera.

"Your hair looks really nice Ariel" Drake said.

Ariel shook her head with a soft smile, hiding her gaze. Nicole and Kelsi agreed, adding their own complements on the cut and beckoning Drake to join their small group that had formed by the tree.

Ariel sighed, finally accepting their complements with a thank you and flushed cheeks. The four of them sat together laughing, reminiscing on their criminal endeavours.

  


Maddie leaned forward on the back of the couch where Wes and Ryan sat. "I'm really glad we went through with this. I was worried."

"About?" Wes leaned back.

"A lot. But everyones getting along better than I thought."

Ryan rest on his arm "I think we've been through enough to appreciate any down time we can get."

Wes nod "I don't know what's going on in everyone else's lives but Ryan and I have had…" he searched his words "an _ interesting _ few months."

Maddie couldn't help but look back to the bruises on Ryan's skin and on closer inspection, Wes' too, a large gash covering his knuckles. '_ interesting _ ' was definitely a word shed use, a better word being ‘ _ suspicious’. _

_ What the hell are these two up to? _

"That's because anything you're involved in means bad luck." Ryan pout.

"No, I think its you that brings bad luck, Mr. White."

Ryan sighed "Truce, were both bad luck."

"That's why were perfect together." Wes smiled.

Maddie leaned against the palm of her hand, zoned out in the memory of their joined bad luck as a group. "Honestly? I think this might have been one of the quietest years of my life. Yea, dads been dealing with his stuff and I'm stressed over my grades... But other than having to bail Drake out of Jail the other week, things have been running suspiciously smooth."

"You should embrace it." Wes sipped his beer.

Ryan sat up "Drake went to jail?"

Maddie nodded "I think I'm always going to be worried. You can't trust when things will start going downhill again, y’know?"

Ryan looked up at Maddie "Im serious, what did Drake get arrested for?"

Wes placed a hand over Ryan's shoulder, patting him into a hush "I think if you keep worrying, if things do get worse you'll regret not embracing when they were better."

Maddie hummed, curling her hair around her finger to the sound of Frank Sinatra. She watched Drake fluff up the ends of Ariel's new cut. "Yea but, I can't hide my feelings the same way you do"

"Jesus. I dont _ hide _, I make light. At least I try to embrace the good."

"You do seem happier..."

Ryan rubbed his eyes in his hands "I think it's kind of like… you snooze you lose." Ryan raised a brow back up at the two.

Maddie and Wes looked down at Ryan, the two began to laugh loudly.

"What?"

Maddie rubbed a finger under her eye "were not 12 anymore Ryan."

Ryan groaned "Damn, I'm sorry?"

"He has a point though." Wes consoled himself "if you snooze you do in fact lose, am I right my dear Ryan?"

"_ ANYWAY! _" Ryan rolled his eyes "now that I have your attention! What was Drake arrested for?"

Maddie shrugged, "nothing too serious, blame Wes."

Ryan's eyes glared at Wes who raised his hands in surrender "I ain't done shit sweetheart!"

"I'm serious, what did you do?"

"Like hell if I know, Madster is planting some false ass evidence on me!"

Maddie pat the back of the couch as she stood up "aight love bugs, I know when I'm not wanted" she sent a dramatic finger gun their way as she approached the others.

"Hold on-" Ryan looked back at her.

"Um…" Wes pursed his lips "Its love _ birds _, not bugs." 

"Ladybird-bug, same thing" Maddie shrugged, as she made her distance.

"I think bug is more fitting anyway," Ryan responded "you're like a roach that I can't get rid of."

Wes held Ryan's hand in his, bringing it up to his lips "don't forget, you're the one who begged me to be your boyfriend." His lips planted lightly against the knuckles of Ryan's hand. "But, if it's a roach you want, I can be your roach. For you I can be any bug."

Ryan's voice was soft "Yikes. Wes, I'm not kidding when I say that was a huge turn off."

"Yikes yourself. You heard the woman, you make me happy! Don't make me depressed now."

"Maybe if you didn't insinuate I'd date a roach."

"You said it first."

  


Maddie watched over the two, whispering their argument between themselves, from where she sat by the tree. Kelsi leaned over Maddie's shoulder her breath cold against her ear "Am I seeing things?"

Maddie hummed back.

"I mean, have they always been like _ that?" _

Ryan pushed Wes' face away from his, Wes' lips pressed against the palm of Ryan's denying hand in a dramatic manner. 

Maddie turned to face Kelsi but when she opened her mouth to reply, she couldn't find an answer. Wes always joked about there being something between the two but it was the way Ryan's guard was down, the way he spoke in hushed tones and the marks that decorated both boys' skin that made Maddie’s stomach churn with an emotion she couldn't decipher.

She forced a small smile to Kelsi "I think if they were up to anything, they'd tell us. Right?"

Kelsi gazed back to the boys, her nostrils flared for a moment and Maddie knew there was something Kelsi could sense that meant more than just relationships.

However, Maddie felt that was none of her business.  
  
Maddie enjoyed watching the festivities of the night, a toothy smile wide on her face as Drake sang loudly to Maria Carey and a tipsy Wes backed his vocals.

Roxy passed through the living room, swinging her coat over he shoulders as she reminded her daughter’s friends about the eggnog in the fridge. She pulled out her car keys “I’m going to pick up your dad, call me if you need me” She waved out the door.

  
And when Ariel shot her camera, she shook her head, begging for just one good photo where _ someone _ in particular wasn’t fooling around. Drake threw tinsel over her shoulders, fluffing her hair as he insisted that she let loose. “You’re not in any of the photos” his hand out for Ariel to hand over the camera.   
  
Ariel giggled, pointing to different buttons on the back of her camera that drake had absolutely no clue of what did what, but he got the general idea. “It’s brand new” She warned “Don’t break it.”   
  
The two laughed loudly at Ariel’s choice in posing, her face lit brightly by the lights of the christmas tree, soon enough it was a group photo and Drake behind the camera had become the director of their impromptu shoot. The tipsy college students coming up with strange new concepts from fake prom photos, ugly faces and silly family photos.   
  
Maddie yelled at Drake to join in too, so he bent down, rotating the camera in his hand and threw up a peace sign. “Is this good?” he held the camera far in his reach to get everyone in the shot and Ariel called out for him to be careful.   
  
“Perfect” Maddie smiled.   
  
And she meant that, not just the photo but the warmth in her chest and the smiles on their faces. It was the family they created and it really was _ perfect _.


End file.
